In a battle for the EBU (European) cruiserweight title, the crowd at the LG Arena in Birmingham, England witnessed one of the most brutal KO’s seen on these shores in years.
Defending Champion Enzo Maccarinelli was making the 1st defence of the title that he’d so impressively won in Russia via 1st round KO of then undefeated Alexander Kotlobay. He was a slight favourite to take the scalp of another undefeated contender in Ukrainian Alexander Frenkel (based in Germany).
Both entered the ring in confident mood, and the challenger really did seem at ease and enjoying the buzz of the arena.
Former WBO World Champion Maccarinelli was the more experienced and taller of the two by 3 inches. (Enzo stands at 6’4 to Frenkel’s 6’1.)
The fight, tipped by many as the hardest to predict, started well for Frenkel as he looked to impose himself on the Welshman and threw a few very big shots that served as a warning of what would follow. Enzo re-composed himself and threw occasional jabs on the move. The opener went to the Ukrainian.
Rounds 2 and 3 saw Enzo using the jab effectively and controlling the action, as Frenkel seemed content to wait to launch the big counter shots. Frenkel was caught in the 3rd by a big body shot.
Round 4 I scored for Alexander Frenkel as he was picking his shots better, while Maccarinelli kept loading up and missing and he was guilty of missing with the right hand all through the fight. Frenkel all through the bout looked very dangerous, and you just worried for Enzo that he would get countered after often telegraphing and missing with his own shots.
Round 5 was pretty subdued and I was getting the feeling that Frenkel was slowly drifting out of the fight. Frenkel even touched down in this round and while a blow had caught him, it was more a case of tangled feet. The referee from Finland rightly ruled it no knockdown.
Round 6, and the impetus and control of the bout was with the Welshman, though he did pick up a small cut in the round.
Round 7, and if Frenkel had a difficult 6, he had a magnificent 7! As, had happened so often earlier, Enzo missed with his big shots. This time Alexander landed a huge left hook that sent the Welshman sprawling. He beat Meronen’s count. Up on unsteady legs, and the fight should have been waved off there and then, the Finnish ref waved the fight on. Enzo instinctively tried to hold on but was met with ‘both barrels’ from Frenkel with the finishing left hook seemingly sending Maccarinelli into orbit. The final left hook does justice to the words “sickening blow”. As soon as it landed Enzo’s head was rocked back and he was despatched onto the canvas. It took a long-time for the former champion to come round, and it was a sad sight seeing one of boxings true ‘gunslingers’ hurt in such a way. Credit to the Ukrainian, as he didn’t celebrate until he knew his beaten foe was ok.
Frenkel is now the European Cruiserweight Champion, he went into the bout largely unproven but showed great tenacity and a decent chin. Enzo has achieved alot in his career and one senses that this was the final curtain for a true warrior.
Frenkel’s record now stands at: Won 23 KO’s 18, Maccarinelli’s record now stands at: Won 32 Lost 5 KO’s 25.
